We have visited Tampa on a few occasions . Tampa is a really cool city with vibrant night life. We are a bit jaded as residents of the South East Coast of Florida, but Tampa has some great things about it as well.

There are a number of ways to have fun in Tampa including boat tours, renting jet skis, and professional sporting events.

While not as fun and eventful as it once was, Ybor City is a must see. Carve out an afternoon to experience some Cuban culture, have a great lunch, and purchase great cigars. 

 

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There are a few cigar companies where you can watch cigars being rolled by hand. The prices and quality of the cigars is great. King Corona Cigars is really cool and inviting. http://www.kingcoronacigars.com

 

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While preparing for an upcoming cruise, we stayed at the Embassy Suites near the river front and we can recommend this hotel. http://www3.hilton.com/en/index.html The location is really good, the staff was great, and you can never go wrong with their breakfast buffet which is always included with every stay.

UPDATE

We recently returned to Tampa as  part of our college tour. Our daughter is a high school junior and we chose to examine The University of Tampa as we explore the colleges and Universities within Florida. We were pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed by the University of Tampa. The campus is located in downtown Tampa and incredibly beautiful. The main administrative building, Plant Hall, is the former Tampa Bay Hotel which was built between 1888 and 1891. Former guests included Teddy Roosevelt and Babe Ruth. It is reported that Babe Ruth signed his first professional contract at the Tampa Bay Hotel. The architecture is stunning. Do not miss the Moorish spires that adorn the tops of Plant Hall.

While in town, we return to Ybor City for lunch. Knowing that the area is full of interesting restaurants, you can always find something great to eat. We enjoy our burgers and chicken sandwich at Tampa Bay Brewing Company. It is a cool atmosphere and I am sure that it is very lively at night. There are a multitude of microbrew beers and an extensive menu. I am confident that everyone will find something appetizing on the menu. Service is excellent and we really enjoy ourselves. 

 

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